Fence-post



No. 615,304. I Patented Dec. 6, I898. J. Y. PROPST.

FENCE POST.

Application filed Mar. 14, 1898.)

(No Model.)

INVENTOR WTESES Attarney UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB Y. PROPST, OF STANTON, ALABAMA.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 615,304, dated December 6, 1898.

Application filed March 14, 1898. Serial No. 673,893. (No model.) I

T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JACOB Y. PROPST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stanton, in the county of Chilton and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts and Telegraph- Poles, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification sufficiently full, clear, and accurate to enable others skilled in the artto make and use the same.

The object of my invention is the production of a fence-post or telegraph-pole which shall be especially adapted for supporting the wires of any kind of a fence or those of a tele graph, which shall be cheap in first cost, easily constructed and set up, durable, efficient in use, and which will hold the wires supported thereon securely in proper positions without sagging or longitudinal movement.

With this object in view my invention consists in forming a post by twisting two rods or a rod on itself throughout a part of its length and in such a manner that the result ing structure will in part have a tapering shape.

Further, it consists in forming a post by bending and twisting a rod so that the parts of the post from which the wires are to be directly supported shall be of less diameter than the parts below and directly adjacent thereto.

- Still further, it consists in forming a .post out of a rod which tapers from the middle toward the ends by bending and twisting the same upon or around itself.

Finally, it consists of a post made from a rod of metal bent together from the middle, the two parts or ends twisted around each other a number of times, the ends spread and attached to a single flat or horizontal base.

I illustrate on the accompanying drawings one example onlyof the physical embodiment of my invention, which in my judgement is a desirable and perhaps the best mode I have so far devised for the application of the principle.

On the figures of the drawings like characters designate like parts.

Figure 1 represents a section of a fence made by using my posts, the same being shown set up and with wires attached. Fig. 2 is a view of a post shown in Fig. 1 when turned through a quarter of a circle. Fig. 3 is a detail view,enlarged,- illustrating the method of attaching a fence-wire to the post. Fig. 4 is a view of the wire loop in perspective after it is bent around the post and before the ends are twisted.

Referring to the several figures, the letter A represents a metallic rod which tapers from the middle point B to the points 0 C, where the ends diverge.

D is a single flat or horizontal base-plate provided with holes E E, through which the ends of the rod are passed and permanently secured in any convenient way, either by nuts or by being upset or turned to one side. It will be observed that I bend the rod on itself at the point B and then twist the two ends around each other a number of times from the said point B, which is the middle point of the rod, and that I next spread the ends and attach them to the base-plate. There is thus formed a structure which gradually tapers from Z to X, and a horizontal section atany point, as at l 1, will be of less diameter than a section at any point below, as at 2 2.

F are the wires of the fence, and G the wire staples or loops used for attaching the fencewires to the posts. In securing a fence-wire I pass the loop over the same at H, then turn it so as to encircle the post'and so that the fence-wire will lie betweenthe ends I I of the loop, and finally I twist the ends 011 each other, as indicated by K, Fig. 3, at the same time making a bend over the post at the point L in the fence-wire. The bend at L is of importance, inasmuch as it prevents sagging and any longitudinal slipping or movement of the individual wire. As the diameter of the post directly below the loopis greater than on the lineof the same, any slight downward movement of the fence-wire and loop causes both to grip the post more firmly.

\Vhile I have illustrated and described only one example of the physical embodiment of myinvention, I do not thereby exclude other examples and forms or colorable modifications. For instance, I may in some cases vary I00 the form and number of the twists, use other forms of loops to secure the wires, and introduce other changes. Moreover,I may increase the length of the structure shown in the draw- 2 iasoe ings,thus adapting it for Supporting telegraph or trolley or other wires.

The foregoing and other modifications I intend to embrace Within the scopeof my invention.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A fence-post or telegraph-pole made of a rod bent and twisted on itself to form a structure tapering from the base Z to the summit X, the ends of the said rod being attached to a base-plate; in substance as set forth.

2. A post made of a rod tapering from the middle toward the ends and bent and twisted on itself,- the ends being separated and se-' cured to a base-plate; in substance as set forth.

3. A fence of metallic posts and wire, each parts twisted each around the other; in sub- 0 stance as set forth.

J. Y. PROPST.

lVitnesses:

G. L. SPEER, R. P. MILLS. 

